你必將生命的道路指示我。在你面前有滿足的喜樂；在你右手中有永遠的福樂。
You
make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
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上帝是公義的上帝，祂必定在我們身上做「對的」事，就是拯救我們脫離罪惡，和我們恢復合宜的關係，就是透過耶穌基督與我們和好，使我們可以被祂接納成為祂的兒女，這是上帝創造人原初的旨意！
也因為這樣，詩人向上帝宣信：「你必將生命的道路指示我。在你面前有滿足的喜樂；在你右手中有永遠的福樂。」
是的，當我們靠著耶穌基督的救恩，我們必定可以享受到這樣的福分！因為我們得拯救最後的結果，就是進入上帝的榮耀國中，與基督一同做王直到永遠！基督有的我們也有，正如保羅所說：「所以，你們若真與基督一同復活，就當求在上面的事；那裡有基督坐在上帝的右邊。」(歌羅西書3:1)
我們自信主那一刻開始，就同基督在上帝的右邊了！這是何等的福分啊！
5:1 第三日，以斯帖穿上朝服，進王宮的內院，對殿站立。王在殿裡坐在寶座上，對著殿門。
5:2 王見王后以斯帖站在院內，就施恩於她，向她伸出手中的金杖；以斯帖便向前摸杖頭。
5:3 王對她說：「王后以斯帖啊，你要甚麼？你求甚麼，就是國的一半也必賜給你。」
5:4 以斯帖說：「王若以為美，就請王帶著哈曼今日赴我所預備的筵席。」
5:5 王說：「叫哈曼速速照以斯帖的話去行」。於是王帶著哈曼赴以斯帖所預備的筵席。
5:6 在酒席筵前，王又問以斯帖說：「你要甚麼，我必賜給你；你求甚麼，就是國的一半也必為你成就。」
5:7 以斯帖回答說：「我有所要，我有所求。
5:8 我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若願意賜我所要的，准我所求的，就請王帶著哈曼再赴我所要預備的筵席。明日我必照王所問的說明。」
5:9 那日哈曼心中快樂，歡歡喜喜地出來；但見末底改在朝門不站起來，連身也不動，就滿心惱怒末底改。
5:10 哈曼暫且忍耐回家，叫人請他朋友和他妻子細利斯來。
5:11 哈曼將他富厚的榮耀、眾多的兒女，和王抬舉他使他超乎首領臣僕之上，都述說給他們聽。
5:12 哈曼又說：「王后以斯帖預備筵席，除了我之外不許別人隨王赴席。明日王后又請我隨王赴席；
5:13 只是我見猶大人末底改坐在朝門，雖有這一切榮耀，也與我無益。」
5:14 他的妻細利斯和他一切的朋友對他說：「不如立一個五丈高的木架，明早求王將末底改掛在其上，然後你可以歡歡喜喜地隨王赴席。」哈曼以這話為美，就叫人做了木架。
On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
3 Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”
4 “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”
5 “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”
So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
7 Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8 If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”
9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.
Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. 12 “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13 But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”
14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,[a] and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.
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以斯帖雖然美貌，卻仍然有智慧和計謀在她的心中。她一出手，真的是讓人意料之外！就連仇敵哈曼都不知她的用心，還自以為了不得，認為王后也要給他尊榮，甚至回家炫耀！只是偏偏又看見末底改心中不悅！
然而回家將這事訴苦的時候，家中這一群人和他一樣惡劣，竟然說：「不如立一個五丈高的木架，明早求王將末底改掛在其上，然後你可以歡歡喜喜地隨王赴席。」
哈曼聽了這段話，竟然以為美，真是物以類聚啊！
上帝啊！人真是可悲，一直在為自己掘墳墓，走向滅亡之路，還自以為事做對的事情、做有益於自己的事情，真是是非不分了！求者幫助我們，讓我們因為敬畏祢而有智慧的心，能夠出死入生，到祢的榮耀境！
2:17 你稱為猶太人，又倚靠律法，且指著上帝誇口；
2:18 既從律法中受了教訓，就曉得上帝的旨意，也能分別是非（或譯：也喜愛那美好的事）；
2:19 又深信自己是給瞎子領路的，是黑暗中人的光，
2:20 是蠢笨人的師傅，是小孩子的先生，在律法上有知識和真理的模範。
2:21 你既是教導別人，還不教導自己嗎？你講說人不可偷竊，自己還偷竊嗎？
2:22 你說人不可姦淫，自己還姦淫嗎？你厭惡偶像，自己還偷竊廟中之物嗎？
2:23 你指著律法誇口，自己倒犯律法、玷辱上帝嗎？
2:24 上帝的名在外邦人中，因你們受了褻瀆，正如經上所記的。
2:25 你若是行律法的，割禮固然於你有益；若是犯律法的，你的割禮就算不得割禮。
2:26 所以那未受割禮的，若遵守律法的條例，他雖然未受割禮，豈不算是有割禮嗎？
2:27 而且那本來未受割禮的，若能全守律法，豈不是要審判你這有儀文和割禮竟犯律法的人嗎？
2:28 因為外面作猶太人的，不是真猶太人；外面肉身的割禮，也不是真割禮。
2:29 惟有裡面作的，才是真猶太人；真割禮也是心裡的，在乎靈，不在乎儀文。這人的稱讚不是從人來的，乃是從上帝來的。
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”[b]
25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
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保羅在這裡提醒猶太人：「你若是行律法的，割禮固然於你有益；若是犯律法的，你的割禮就算不得割禮。所以那未受割禮的，若遵守律法的條例，他雖然未受割禮，豈不算是有割禮嗎？而且那本來未受割禮的，若能全守律法，豈不是要審判你這有儀文和割禮竟犯律法的人嗎？因為外面作猶太人的，不是真猶太人；外面肉身的割禮，也不是真割禮。惟有裡面作的，才是真猶太人；真割禮也是心裡的，在乎靈，不在乎儀文。這人的稱讚不是從人來的，乃是從上帝來的。」
保羅這段話就是提醒猶太人不可以徒有割禮的記號，卻沒有上帝子民的實際！然而上帝子民的實際就是要和上帝有合宜的關係，就是透過主耶穌與上帝和好，讓主耶穌行律法的義臨到。因為人無法行得完全，只有讓主耶穌所完成的實現在我們身上，就是將律法刻在我們心版，讓我們靠聖靈的能力來行律法！而不是以自義的心來行律法！
這有甚麼差別呢？靠自己的力量行律法就會自以為了不起，以為有能力行善是自己的功勞，榮耀歸自己；靠主耶穌的義來行律法，是相信上帝的助力在我們身上，是我們可以行出來，會將榮耀歸給上帝，會相信一切都是靠耶穌基督的救恩才有的！
也唯有能歸榮耀於上帝的，才是真的是內心受割禮的人，是上帝所喜悅的兒女！
